same time received a terribly destructive fire, checking our advance, on a ridge about 50 yards from the enemy's line. The position, however, was held, the men keeping up a steady fire on the enemy, who occupied a crest not 50 yards in front. For nearly an hour the fighting was incessant, and the loss proportionately great, but the enemy was too strongly posted, and could not be dislodged. When the ammunition was exhausted by the troops in front, the first line was relieved from the second, which retained the advanced position until nearly 6 o'clock, when it was relieved by a portion of the Second Corps. Each regiment had suffered terribly, almost altogether from musketry, and we learned from prisoners that our division had been fighting the whole of A. P. Hill's corps.

May 6, 5 a. m., the brigade, in two lines, supported the Second Corps, which advanced, driving the enemy over a half mile, when it in turn was checked and driven, re-enforcements having reached the troops opposing us. In the mean time my brigade had crossed the plank road-the junction of Burnside's forces on the right crowding our division to the left. As soon as the Second Corps lines had commenced to fall back the brigade was halted and held the line, allowing the retreating troops opportunity to reform in our rear. The enemy, on account of the dense woods, could not see the advantage gained, and his weak reconnoitering force following the Second Corps was obliged to retreat as soon as they came in view of our front. About this time General Getty was wounded, and the command of the First, Second, and Fourth Brigades devolved upon me (the Third Brigade under General Neill being absent). Little of importance occurred until 11 a. m., when Mott's division, of the Second Corps, on our left, was suddenly attacked and driven in great disorder, allowing the enemy to come into our rear and necessitating the falling back of all the troops thereabouts, which was done slowly, the troops of the Second, Ninth, and Sixth Corps mingling together. As they reached the Brock road a successful effort was made to rally them. But little difficulty was encountered in accomplishing this with the obedient and gallant troops of Second Division, and they could readily be distinguished by the white-cross badge, and the best portion of it was established in the position occupied in the morning in ample time, had the enemy seen fit to follow his advantage with an organized force. In this instance, as in the morning, the density of the woods prevented the enemy from discovering our disordered retreat, and as immediate measures were taken to strengthen the line of the Brock road, we were well prepared to receive his attack made at p. m., amounting to a vigorous but unsuccessful effort to break through a small portion of the front of the Second Corps line, at a point some 200 yards on our left-a slight demonstration in front of this division being made at the same time. An order to be in readiness to attack at 6 p. m. was subsequently countermanded on account of reported reverses on the right of the army. At 9 p. m. of the 6th the division was ordered to report back to General Sedgwick, our corps commander, and was immediately marched to the right of the army and massed near the intersection of the Orange pike and Chanellorsville plank road.

May 7, 3 a. m., moved to the extreme right of the army, connecting with the Third Brigade, of the Second Division, Brigadier-General Neill. He being my senior, I resumed command of the First Brigade. Two regiments (the Sixty-second New York and One hundred and second Pennsylvania Volunteers) were deployed